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But what about the people who swear by running for their mental health? Have you considered that maybe the "ruin" part depends on how you approach it lowkey

screenshotting this

this comment > the whole thread

someone finally said it

The comments are more interesting than the post tbh

glad I scrolled down far enough to find this *(edited)*

yeah but running is just walking with extra steps and existential dread *(edited)*

I’ve seen people ruin their knees, THEIR sleep, their relationships—all for the sake of "just one more mile." What’s the dumbest injury you’ve ever gotten from running fr *(edited)*

this needs more upvotes

wait actually

hard disagree

Yeah I've had the exact same experience tho 😤

Running is the only thing that’s ever made me feel like I’m slowly breaking down in the best way possible. Who needs therapy when u’ve got blisters the size of dimes and a knee that creaks like a haunted house?

first time posting but running is a sneaky addiction

Unironically one of the best posts I've seen here

running is just cardio with the added bonus of learning how much your knees hate you by mile 3.

I once tried to "just run" to clear my head after a breakup and ended up limping for a week—turns out my body had other plans, and my brain just kept replaying the same sad playlist on loop

couldn't agree more

THIS exactly

glad I scrolled down far enough to find this

oh man, the "initial rush of joy" part hit hard—I remember my first 5k like it was yesterday, euphoric and light, then the next morning waking up like I’d been hit by a truck. still makes me laugh how my brain was like “yes! do this forever!” while my legs were screaming “WHY.”

but what about the sheer joy of running? I’ve seen people swear by it for mental health—endorphins, clarity, all that. Doesn’t that count for smth? Or are we just ignoring the anecdotes because they don’t fit the "ruin your life" narrative?

Running is just a socially acceptable way to gaslight yourself into thinking you like pain. i did it for 3 months straight once and now my soul has a resting bitch face.

OP should pin this

this right here 👆 *(edited)*

this comment > the whole thread

saving this comment

came here to say this

lmaooo

more people need to see this

why is this buried? this is the real answer

Yeah no, running’s not the problem—it’s the people who treat it like a personality trait instead of a hobby.

I'm curious, have you ever felt like that initial rush of joy is followed by the inevitable hangry crash and burn when you haven't recovered in time? Was it ever sustainable for you, or did you end up having to deal with the physical and mental consequences that the OP is talking about?

skill issue tbh

OP should pin this *(edited)*

Ok fair point actually 💀

OP should pin this

why is this so accurate 😭

Oh man, but isn’t the "sheer joy" often just the post-run endorphin dump masking the micro-tears in your joints? (or is that just my knees talking)

hold on *(edited)*

running is basically a guaranteed way to ruin your day, let alone your life, so I can see why it's underrated as a life-ruining activity. 😭

so brave for sharing this completely obvious thing *(edited)*

no thoughts head empty

Chronic stress fractures, common problem *(edited)*

didn't read lol

saying this with my whole chest fr fr 🤦

Ah yes, the classic ‘I ran once and now I’m a philosopher’ take—how novel. (Or is that just the lactic acid talking?) Funmi’s commitment to self-sabotage is truly inspiring—almost as much as Dapo’s refusal to commit to a single form of suffering

first time posting but knees now

i once tried running to "clear my head" after a breakup and ended up crying on a park bench halfway through because my lungs felt like they were being sandpapered

Running isn’t just about the knees or the shin splints—it’s the slow, relentless erosion of your excuses, and that’s what makes it so quietly destructive. (Or maybe I’m just projecting because I once signed up for a marathon to prove I wasn’t a quitter, only to realize halfway through that I *was* a quitter who just reall...

i have been saying this for years and nobody listened

I ran a 5k once and somehow ended up crying in a gas station parking lot over a gummy bear. still not sure if that counts as ruin or just a really bad day

Depends on what kind of runner not gonna lie

Oh man, I *hate* that I agree with this because I love running, but the way it sneaks into your life and starts dictating everything—your sleep, your meals, your social life—it’s like a very committed but emotionally abusive partner. I once trained for a marathon and suddenly my entire identity was just "someone who runs 50 miles a week," and the guilt when I missed a run was worse than the guilt of skipping therapy.

why tho

Yeah running wrecks your knees, hips, and back if you don’t do it right. mental benefits? sure, until you’re stuck with a stress FRACTURE or chronic pain. most people don’t even stretch properly

based

The audacity of this post to come for ME like this

But what about the mental health benefits of running? lots of people have reported reduced anxiety and improved mood after regular running

yeah but like what if running ruins your life *slowly* instead of all at once

First time posting but self-harm adjacent

Yeah no i get it. last year i tried running to "clear my head" and ended up crying in a bush bc my shins hurt and also i remembered that time in 8th grade when matthew called me a "slowpoke" in front of the whole gym class and now i associate pavement with public humiliation. mental health? more like mental *hemorrhage*.

no thoughts head empty

I get where you're coming from, but have you ever tried running in the rain at 6 AM with a pair of shoes that feel like they're filled with cement? I did that for a week straight last winter and now my knees sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies. Still can't decide if it's character-building or just masochism.

yeah okay but like, have you ever just *not* been able to walk down stairs for three days because you decided to run down a hill once? that’s not joy, that’s just capitalism tricking you into thinking pain is progress.

But what about the mental benefits?

not me

But what about physical benefits?

sheesh *(edited)*

The part about month two is so real. nobody talks about that but for me, it was month 5 when I finally broke down from trying to run EVERY day and just couldn't go anymore